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May
31, 2020

2 min read

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Amazon has more than 2.5 million active sellers, 86 percent of whom are profitable. Even new sellers report earning between $26,000 and $810,000 in profits in their first year. Profitability is everything for small businesses, and Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) has the track record to help small businesses scale at record pace. The best part? You don’t really even need to be managing your Amazon FBA business full-time. You can still do just fine using it as a side hustle.

The world has changed a lot in the past few months. Maybe you got laid off from your full-time job and are ready to earn some extra money. Or maybe you now have time to pursue a freelance dream.

I started freelancing a few years ago and eventually was able to open my own branding agency. Because I got my start on Upwork, I’d like to share with you some tips on taking the leap and joining this freelancing platform.

Deciding to become a freelancer is a big decision, so once you’re committed, make sure that you start off on the right foot. In addition to filling out your profile, writing a strong introduction, using a professional profile picture and adding to your digital portfolio, here are some tips to help you get started.

1. Be selective about jobs

If you’re new to Upwork, you’re probably not familiar with the fact that in order to apply to a job, you will need connects. Connects are what you need to submit proposals on Upwork

Words like optimistic, determined, persistent and unwavering tend to define established entrepreneurs, but what about the resolve required to just get started?

Grow Your Business, Not Your Inbox

Stay informed and join our daily newsletter now!

May
28, 2020

5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

It’s often the case that when one wants to start a business, they think it should begin with an idea and a business plan. But while these are necessary ingredients in entrepreneurship, they overlook the most necessary ingredient of all: their own mindset. There’s a quote from author and entrepreneur Idowu Koyenikan that says, “The mind has a powerful way of attracting things that are in harmony with it — good or bad.” And it’s true. If you hit one obstacle in building your business and believe it’s a sign that you should give up now, you likely will. But if your mindset is focused on perseverance and success, you’ll keep at it.

Now, many words come to mind in association with an entrepreneurial mindset: optimistic, determined, persistent, unwavering. But what about the mindset required to just get started? Entrepreneurship has a way of taking over our

It was pounding rain outside my bedroom when my co-founder bursted through the door in a panic. He didn’t wait for my reaction to explain his ever pressing fear.

“One of our investor leads is on the phone and he’s about to walk away. He said we were too aggressive! How do we save this?

I responded immediately: “What did we do? We asked way too much on the valuation, right?”

“I bid him up on price too much and he is just threatening to walk away. He is not even picking up the phone. He just periodically texts me now. It’s very scary.”

“Give it some time,” I responded. “Then, let him get in touch with you on his schedule. Make him want to come to you.”

Although my co-founder and I quickly closed this particular deal in a matter of days, it shows how entrepreneurs can take a negotiation too far with investors and easily screw up a potential investment.

The pandemic has historically upended the venture capital market. According to Techcrunch, anecdotal evidence indicates the venture market has either frozen in place

When choosing a small business structure, many owners go for a limited liability company (LLC) because of the protection from liabilities it provides. If you’ve thought about starting an LLC, follow this guide for step-by-step information.

What is a limited liability company?

LLCs are a type of business entity that are similar to corporations in many ways. As the name suggests, LLCs provide personal liability protection to their owners. They also boast a lot of flexibility in management, taxation, and the allocation of profits and losses.

As a company, an LLC can own assets and bank accounts; sign leases, loans, and other contracts; and file a lawsuit or be sued. Since it’s legally a separate entity from its owners, no one person is liable for business obligations or debts.

Leaders of companies big and small share the mindset it takes to attain success in the face of all obstacles.

September 30, 2019

4 min read

True, being an entrepreneur can be exhausting, lonely, frustrating and terrifying. But it’s worth every drop of blood, sweat and tears when you are pursuing your passion and turning your dream into a reality.

In an ongoing series called Real Entrepreneurs, we pick the brains of founders and leaders about what it is like to have every decision big and small rest on their shoulders and have compiled their thoughts on what it takes to succeed on the long, sometimes crazy journey of an entrepreneur.